It is hard to believe that something so big came from something so small. Before EMPI and Economotors became universal VW shop names throughout the industry, their beginnings were quite humble. In the early 1950s Joe Vittone began a small import car (and motorcycle) dealership called Economotors in Riverside, Calif., one of America's earliest VW dealerships. Vittone focused on the economic transportation of the relatively new Volkswagen, a refreshing change from the big-finned Detroit cars being produced domestically at the time. Tired of inefficient cars that were more geared toward power and luxury and lacked engineering grace, Vittone and his dealership offered his customers a place in the infant VW aftermarket industry where they could find high-performance engine parts like stroker cranks, big bore pistons, dual port heads, legendary 48 IDA Webers and Speedwell's magnesium BRM wheels. Economotors (and later EMPI) pioneered the phenomenal developments of the Volkswagen's popularity among economic drivers and backyard mechanics.

Economotor's rise to fame and the very beginnings of European Motor Products, Incorporated began as a simple attention to detail and a steadfast subscription to the German values and traditions that Volkswagen had grown up with. That was conservation; don't waste resources. The philosophy was different in America, where it was easier to replace than it was to fix. Hence Vittone's problem.

Valve guides on stock 36hp engines heads were a very inexpensive part, even now to a certain degree. In the mid-'50s, the variety of specialty tools for Volkswagen was virtually non-existent, simply because nobody had stepped forward to take the time to design any, especially in America. The most common problem Economotors faced was valve guide failure, to which Volkswagen of America's answer was to scrap an entire head and replace it with a new one.

It was a ridiculous waste, something Vittone detested. His reply came in the form of a simple tool that allowed the guides to be pressed out and replaced, not only saving the head but saving the customer money. Not surprisingly, this tool became popular with engine builders and mechanics as it allowed an economical repair of the head in a limited amount of time. In 1954, European Motor Products, Inc. (EMPI) was born.

Vittone didn't stop at a simple 50 cent piece. While the rest of the country dreamed of more power and larger engines, Vittone saw the attitude toward most Volkswagens as slow cars with little streetable performance potential. With that in mind, and after seeing the things Okrasa was doing with the engines, Vittone began expanding. First, he set up a deal with Okrasa to distribute their parts, then he imported Denzel aluminum alloy products because of their precision machining. All the while, Vittone was researching and developing innovative products specifically for the little car. The first of which was an anti-sway bar in 1958. Though it was nothing new to the industry (they were used on 356s and Ghias), nobody had ever fitted one to a Beetle. VWAG eventually added it to the Beetle line as standard equipment.

Soon the drag racing phenomenon was sweeping the country and the racers were being continually drawn to the drag strips that were springing up across the country. VWoA and VWAG had no intention of joining the American companies on the track, so EMPI took it upon itself to represent the Volkswagen's potential. To help this along, Vittone changed the name of EMPI to Engineered Motor Products, Inc., because he wanted to emphasize his development of new products and de-emphasize the European involvement.

EMPI's first taste of the race track was at the 1963 Nassau VW Grand Prix. Vittone son, Darrell, relented his '56 Oval into the project and Vittone asked a customer, Dan Gurney, to pilot the car at the race. The 36hp car, with Gurney behind the wheel, won hands down. In fact, race officials were so shocked at the speed of the EMPI car, they made Gurney cover the tach during the race because they felt it was an unfair advantage.

The next year was a failure. The competition complained at the abilities of the car, and the judges, not having seen a stock VW drive so fast, disqualified the EMPI car for running with "non-stock valve springs." The second place team won in a car piloted by a little-known driver, A.J. Foyt. Disgusted with racing politics, Vittone returned the car to his son.

By this time, Dean Lowry, a sometimes employee at Economotors, wanted his chance at the track. With Darrell Vittone's backing, Lowry created the legendary EMPI Inch Pincher, so named because they squeezed out every bit of horsepower from the limited cubic inches.

Though the Inch Pincher is one of the most well known car in the Volkswagen racing industry, it was only a side project for Joe Vittone, Economotors and EMPI. Their real job was making products for speed-hungry Volkswagen owners.